i have noticed that a number of people prefer to retain or buy heifers that are born earlier in the year, assuming that the ones born later stand the chance of becoming late breeders. i can see validity in this argument, but if this were truly the case wouldnt a late breeding cow eventually back up far enough to be back in the front of the calving cycle? couldnt a cow being later calving be due to environmental factors that set her back years before? such as if she werent exposed until later or exposed too soon and didnt breed back due to calving at a young age? i have purchased some late summer/early fall born heifers i put a bull in with them in december. the mommas to these heifers were fall calvers and still are. my intention is that when they calve (depending on how they bred of course) put a bull with them after i pull the calves off. hopefully that would be about the same time i usually put the bull with the rest of the herd for late winter/early spring calving the following year. mississippi winters usually arent too bad . i know there are many different thoughts on raising and breeding heifers as far as cost, age to breed , etc. it really wouldnt bother me to put the bull in with the heifers(in december) after they calve in the fall and just leave him in until june. my thought is that even if they have trouble breeding back i can wean the calves at the end of march and the should pick up quickly and breed with the fresh green grass and reduced stress. i prefer this scenario over having heifers calve in late spring or early summer. then we would be dealing with extreme heat while raising a baby and breeding back,thus possibly having summer calves the following year. i would like to add that i have more time in fall and winter to deal with calving, i prefer to be done calving by mid march... any unput is welcomed.
fall calving heifers
- Thread starter toxxie24
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talltimber
Well-known member
Moving from fall to spring will cost you six months, which is fine, if that's what you want to do. I heard of a guy breeds his 12-14 mo or so fall heifers, calves them, then holds them back to spring calving the following year. His reason was to let them finish growing. I don't know why it wouldn't be smarter to at least try to get them bred in the meantime, otherwise don't calve til 30 months in the first place? (Other than I heard it once that the pelvic joints?/sections? were not fused at 24 but would be at 30, lending a chance for a little more room for those that needed it? I don't know if that's a real thing and if it is how much room you would gain, in reality?)
You don't want Angus heifers calving at 30 months. Same applies to many other breeds. Dun can explain it much more succinctly than I can.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
toxxie24":3edsxrin said:
1) Select your heifers so you can breed them a month ahead of the cow herd
2) Don't worry about the occasional late heifer re breeder. Just put her in the freezer.
3) Don't worry about the occasional late cow re breeder. Just sell her to someone with a different calving season.
Simple ;-)
talltimber
Well-known member
TennesseeTuxedo":37cgvrhs said:
Maybe he will come back and explain it. Dad said he never had much luck with two yr olds breeding back, he let them all go to 30 mo the last number of years he had cattle. Fall calves calved in the spring, spring in the fall.
Has to do with the pelvic bones getting set in place if they haven't calved by 24 months.
Not sure why I enjoy bred heifers so much, but I do. Probably my favorite segment of what I do. In all reality, it's probably not super profitable. I just like watching them develope. You will always do better if you have the biggest and longest bred heifer for sale. A fall heifer does that for you, with little additional expense.
talltimber
Well-known member
TennesseeTuxedo":ipqczjbq said:
That's what I was mentioning at the end of the my post. I had read that here somewhere. I was thinking it was Lucky P but may have been dun. I can't remember for sure.
there is a lot to be said for taking a weaned heifer and getting her accustomed to the facilities , learning her disposition , and of course watching her develope. they handle so much better and it gives u time to tame a wilder one down or cull her before u have so much invested in them.Bigfoot":2i0omow5 said:
most likely i will put the bull in with the first calvers at the same time i put a bull in with the next group of unbred heifers but be prepared to have them breed late if that doesnt work out. worst case is that maybe they will still calve the following year with the main herd.talltimber":t8s9etat said:
